Chapter 9: Immigration Some cultures might be better than others Globalization made it easier for people to explore other cultures, but also made it easier for people to be offended by their differences. The EU helped European countries transcend cultural differences between each other, and this model of tolerance attracted migrants from the Middle East … Read more
Law 19: Know Who You’re Dealing With – Do Not Offend the Wrong Person Some people are wolves in lambs’ clothing, don’t assume that everyone will react the same way to your strategies. When you meet a swordsman, draw your sword: Do not recite poetry to one who is not a poet. FROM A CH’AN … Read more
Law 18: Do Not Build Fortresses to Protect Yourself – Isolation is Dangerous Isolation will not protect you from the dangers of the world, but it will cut you off from valuable information. Make allies and circulate among friends, you are shielded from your enemies by the crowd. Transgression of the Law Ch’in Shih Huang … Read more
Influence by Robert Cialdini teaches us about the science of persuasion. The author himself spent his life studying the most common techniques that were used by salesmen and persuaders, and the six most pervasive strategies were presented in this book. The Six Laws of Persuasion Reciprocation People feel obliged to give back. When you offer … Read more
Law 15: Crush Your Enemies Totally Wu Chao was born in A.D 625. She was a beautiful young woman, and daughter of the duke. But she was competing with the harem of Emperor T’ai Tsung, who were all competing to be the emperor’s favorite. This made the palace of the emperor a dangerous place. But … Read more
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell is about how ideas really spread. The argument is that it’s not the size of the advertising budget that determines how quickly ideas catch fire, rather it is the dynamic interplay of hidden factors at just the right time. The Law of the Few is an example of this. … Read more
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell is about our perceptions of success and genius. Gladwell’s take on the classic nature vs nurture argument, is that nurture wins. We have a way of looking at success stories and marvel at how some exceptional people were able to accomplish what they did, but really, they were merely products of … Read more
Blue Ocean Strategy is a book that argues for a better strategy in business, finding uncontested space rather than join the fierce competition that already exists. When a market is crowded, products become like commodities – they lose value and it becomes difficult to stand out. If you want to join the competition, you will be … Read more
Law 14: Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy It is critical to know your enemy. Joseph Duveen was the greatest art dealer in the first half of the 20th century. He monopolized the millionaire art-collecting market. But one millionaire eluded him, Andrew Mellon. Duveen was determined to make Mellon a client even though … Read more
Honesty can be used as a weapon in the realm of deception. This will especially work against the most suspicious people, for they will never see honesty coming. In 1926, Count Victor Lustig paid a visit to the most feared gangster of his time, Al Capone. Lustig tells Capone that he can double his money, … Read more